Gay sergeant scheduled for reinstatement into U.S. Air Force

Staff Sergeant Anthony Loverde will return to active duty in May 2012 following his dismissal from the U.S. Air Force in 2008 under the now-defunct ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (DADT) policy – the military’s former discriminatory procedure that forbade gays and lesbians from disclosing their sexual orientation.

This is the second time a service member has been reinstated to active duty following the repeal of DADT.

“I am honored and humbled to return to the service of my country and the job I love. I am grateful to my legal team and all of those in the armed forces who helped to facilitate this reinstatement. I am eager to take the oath and get to work,” said Loverde.

Loverde will take oath once more in Sacramento in May 2012 where he will take post on the 19th Operations Squadron at Little Rock AFB in Arkansas.

The sergeant’s reinstatement follows the historic case of Almy v. United States, a lawsuit filed in 2010 which challenged the constitutionality of DADT.

“This historic reinstatement again reminds us that today’s military is a welcoming place for qualified patriots whose careers were cut short by the unjust ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law. This victory is unique because it is a reinstatement — not just a reentry — meaning that Sergeant Loverde will return to his previous rank and be able to continue his career as if it had never been interrupted,” said SLDN Legal Director David McKean.

“As a nation, we can never restore what was fully lost by this service member and many like him as a result of DADT, but at SLDN we are working day and night to ensure that those who wish to serve their country again may do so on active duty, in the reserves, or in the guard.”